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Are Video Stores Safe for Kids?
Karen Thomas, a mother of three boys from Wolfeboro, N.H., worries whenever she learns her sons have been shopping in video stores.
"They like to go shopping with their friends. Let's face it," she says, "they're at an age when they don't want me by their side. I just pray that if they happen to see a video or DVD cover that's a bit risqué, our family training will kick in and they'll move on."
Thomas is not alone in her concerns. Countless numbers of parents fret about their children being exposed to profanity, illicit sex and low moral standards while browsing through video stores — even if they don't buy or rent the wares.
It doesn't have to be this way. And, in some video outlets, it isn't: A number of large video chains have set up safeguards to protect children from being exposed to these temptations.
One conspicuous example is Blockbuster Video, the world's leading renter of videos, DVDs and video games (it's got more than 5,500 stores in the United States alone). You won't find any films or video games rated X or NC—17 in Blockbuster outlets.
"We pride ourselves in providing quality home entertainment. A big part of that is being a family-friendly destination," says Blockbuster spokesman Randy Hargrove.
Parents point out that even at Blockbuster, there are plenty of offerings that they'd rather not expose their children to. Hargrove says that Blockbuster offers a free service called Youth-Restricted Viewing, which allows parents to limit what products their minor children can rent or purchase from its stores.
Blockbuster says it also helps children pick appropriate selections. For example, this summer it launched a Kids Club program. For a one-time donation of $2, which benefits Boys and Girls Clubs of America, families can rent one free video every day of the summer. The only caveat is that the video has to be listed on the company's family-viewing guide. Nor are movies on this list restricted to undesirable titles; up for free grabs are such popular offerings as Cats & Dogs, Shrekand Inspector Gadget.
When it comes to being family-friendly, Blockbuster may lead the pack — thanks to its sheer size — but it has plenty of company.
Sean Devlin Bersell, vice president of public affairs for the Video Software Dealers Association, points to Hollywood Video, the second-largest rental chain in the country, and Movie Gallery, the third largest, as examples of other stores committed to providing a family-friendly environment.
Of course, the picture is not all sunshine and light. "Most of the video chains do have 'family sections' — but, for the most part, the stores are filled with PG-through R-rated films, which constitute the vast majority of theatrical releases," says Brother Bill Johnson, a Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate who works with the Oblate Media and Communications Corp. in St. Louis.
Brother Johnson is quick to point out that the responsibility lies not only with the video stores but also with the parents.
"I am a firm believer that the family is the first and primary source for the faith-development of children," says Brother Johnson.
He sites the apostolic letter Familiaris Consortio, in which Pope John Paul II calls the family "the first community called to announce the Gospel to the human person during growth and to bring him or her, through a progressive education and catechesis, to full human and Christian maturity."
Says Brother Johnson, "Parents who take their role of 'an educating community' seriously need to interact with their children and help them learn to evaluate and make choices as they grow in maturity."
Bersell says "parents should educate themselves about the movie and video game rating systems, talk to their local video store about what restrictions they want placed on their children, examine the ratings and the rating reasons before renting or buying movies and video games. They should talk to the clerks to learn more about a particular movie or video game and monitor their children's entertainment consumption."
Though lawsuits are under way, parents can still rent films from companies that edit out offensive material. (See "Edited DVDs Cleaning Up Hollywood's Act," from the Register's Feb. 8, issue, at www.ncregis ter.com/Register_ News/020203dvd.htm.)
Love Guides
Which puts the focus back on the family.
"At a certain point in growing up, a child will find himself in a video store or other media outlet without benefit of a parent," says Brother Johnson. "A key developmental task of all children is to eventually develop their own sense of identity and maturity.
"A child who has been affirmed, has experienced love and respect, and has been helped to learn the consequences of choices and behavior in the family of origin will carry respect and reverence into a video store, the mall, the halls of education and the community in which they live."
There are some "sure bets" out there. The Oblates of Mary Immaculate, for example, have assisted in the creation and production of a video distributor called Videos With Values (www.videos withvalues.com) that offers a very safe choice for families.
Brother Johnson explains: "One of the goals of our media ministry is to provide families with alternative entertainment choices not found in the video stores."
Gradually, video stores are implementing programs that create "family" areas and personal parental screening systems.
In the end, however, the decision to avoid inappropriate videos and games must be made by well-formed, responsible kids and teens — making choices under the watchful eyes of the parents who love them.
Mary Ann Sullivan writes from New Durham, New Hampshire.

subset: commoncrawl


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American Alpine Club to Host the Everest 50th Anniversary Dinner
American Alpine Club to Host the 50th Anniversary of Americans on Mount Everest
Annual fundraiser in San Francisco will reunite 1963 Everest legends and publicly honor 50 years of vertical inspiration
Golden, CO (October, 2012)—The American Alpine Club is thrilled to announce plans for its 2013 Annual Benefit Dinner: The 50th Anniversary of Americans on Mount Everest.
The upcoming Benefit Dinner will serve as the official celebration marking half a century of Americans on Everest. This special evening is open to the public and will be held at the Craneway Pavilion on the waterfront of the East Bay of San Francisco on February 23, 2013.
Every living member of the 1963 expedition team will reunite at the Dinner and present together for the first time in decades. These living legends have inspired generations of climbers and explorers: Tom Hornbein, Jim Whittaker, Norman Dyhrenfurth, Allen Auten, David Dingman, Maynard Miller, and Richard Pownall.
The Annual Benefit Dinner is the AAC's signature and largest annual event. Coupling fine waterfront dining with a presentation by these Everest pioneers, the Dinner will bring together adventurers of every age for a rare and unforgettable evening. To reserve a spot at this reunion, please visit the AAC website: americanalpineclub.org.
The first American to stand on top of the world was Jim Whittaker, who summited with Sherpa Nawang Gombu via the South Col route on May 1, 1963. Days afterward, on May 22, another team led by Tom Hornbein pioneered Everest's West Ridge, and then descended to make the first-ever traverse of the mountain. Still today, both climbs are recognized as milestone achievements in human exploration.
Making this anniversary possible is title sponsor Eddie Bauer. Eddie Bauer's dedication to Americans on Everest also reaches a 50-year milestone in 2013. As one of the original 1963 Everest expedition sponsors, Eddie Bauer is proud to celebrate a half-century of dedication and commitment to American exploration around the globe. "We couldn't be happier to be sharing this evening with Eddie Bauer," said Phil Powers, Executive Director of the AAC. "Eddie Bauer's involvement with the 1963 Expedition and American mountaineering demonstrates the critical—and often overlooked—bond between explorer and supporter."
"Eddie Bauer has been outfitting exploration firsts since the 1950s, but none more historic than the 1963 Everest Expedition. The accomplishments of these legendary climbers exemplified a true spirit of adventure, and serve as inspiration for each new generation of explorers," said Michael Egeck, president and CEO at Eddie Bauer. "We honor the significant impact these climbers made for our company and more importantly on American mountaineering, and we are proud to support the American Alpine Club in this celebration of these individuals."
About the Annual Benefit Dinner
The American Alpine Club Annual Benefit Dinner is an annual fundraising event and community gathering that includes various activities throughout the weekend. Culminating with the benefit dinner on Saturday night, this event brings together generations of climbers, adventurers, and explorers to celebrate the accomplishments of their own, and raise funds to continue the critical programs and services of the AAC. Learn more at americanalpineclub.org.
About The American Alpine Club
The American Alpine Club is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that provides knowledge and inspiration, conservation and advocacy, and logistical support for the climbing community. The AAC advocates for American climbers domestically and around the world; provides grants and volunteer opportunities to protect and conserve the places we climb; hosts local and national climbing festivals and events; publishes two of the world's most sought-after climbing annuals, The American Alpine Journal and Accidents in North American Mountaineering; cares for the world's leading climbing library and country's leading mountaineering museum; manages the Hueco Rock Ranch and Grand Teton Climbers' Ranch as part of a larger lodging network for climbers; and annually gives $80,000+ toward climbing, conservation, and research grants to adventurers who travel the world. Learn about additional programs and become a member at americanalpineclub.org.
About Eddie Bauer
Established in 1920 in Seattle, Eddie Bauer is a specialty retailer that sells sportswear, outerwear, gear and accessories for the active outdoor lifestyle. The Eddie Bauer brand is a nationally recognized brand that stands for high quality, innovation, style and customer service. Eddie Bauer products are available at approximately 350 stores throughout the United States and Canada, through catalog sales and online at eddiebauer.com. Eddie Bauer is proud to be named a J.D. Power 2011 Customer Service Champion and is only one of 40 companies so named in the U.S.


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Okay, just for my own personal amusement, I conducted a couple of tests...
I conducted test number one from the above post. I took one AIFF, sent a copy of it around the world, through yahoo's mail servers, onto a data CD, onto a USB jump drive, and back into soundforge.
Reversed phase on one clip and summed them up. "Maximum sample value: 0 [-Inf. dB, 0.00%]"
Yup, it nulled out to 100% zeros. So the idea that copying a file to a different drive can alter the sound is officially nulled out to zero, as well.
Same reference AIFF file, burned as CD-DA using iTunes at 32x speed to the cheapest CD-R I could get my hands on. Ripped back at 48x as a WAV using soundforge, then phase reversed and mixed the with original audio file.
Surely the jitter introduced by the 32x burning, the 48x ripping, the cheap CD-R, the old DVD burner and the subway sandwich grease on my fingers would make the audio on the CD sound an order of magnitude worse than the reference clip.
"Maximum sample value: 0 [-Inf. dB, 0.00%]"
Ooops! The audio burned to the cheap CD-R from Target was a precise 1-to-1 copy...


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Limited Number of 20 Prints available. Own this limited edition, signed & numbered ocean art print by Ryan Pernofski.
The Ryan Pernofski Store was created to bring the ocean into your home, work & living spaces (not literally of course—that would destroy your house with flood damage). Each print, frame, book & product was designed to inspire you, to be the perfect gift for a friend or loved one and to be that perfect addition to any room; bringing life & colour into your everyday.
The entire range of products from the phone cases to the custom frames are beautifully designed, modern, homely, durable, high quality and are sure to be loved by you as by all our customers—which I call the Pernofamily. Haha I just made that up. Anyway, if you have any questions please reach out at firstname.lastname@example.com or checkout with confidence and your order will be on it's way and in your hands very soon. Which brings me to my next point…
• We have multiple fulfilment locations. Your product will be shipped out of the closest warehouse to you, to ensure safest & fastest delivery.
• Tapestries are released in limited time drops. A set of designs will be released and then the bulk product will go into production after the sale ends. We don't want any waste, so we only produce the tapestries according to orders. So if you would like a particular design in a release make sure that you order it before the drop ends, as we may never produce your desired tapestry again.
• In-stock items such as Books, & other non pre-order products, will usually ship out the same business day if ordered before 3pm local time.
• Custom print orders, Hanging frames & tapestries are hand-signed & shipped from the Australian HQ and will take a few days to ship.
• Like a good burger, some items such as the traditional glass frames, and some custom prints are made fresh to order and can take a little longer. So will take between 1-10 days before they are ready to ship. Please email us if your order is urgent and we can see what we can do for you!
• You will be sent tracking via email the moment your item has shipped.
• Shipping times vary depending on your location. Though, a general time of 3-10 business days allows most products to get around the world :) Worldwide Express Shipping is available at checkout. Need it really soon? Please email firstname.lastname@example.com straight after you have ordered to arrange super-fast worldwide courier delivery at extra cost (speeds as fast as 1 day).
Returns / Exchanges:
Stock items can be returned within 10 days of delivery. Though, of course must be in the same condition as delivered. Custom print & frame orders cannot be returned as they are made to your order and are not part of our general stock - so we wouldn't be able to re-sell.
For further information go to the Shipping page


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UCLA hired Steve Alford as basketball coach on Saturday, luring him from New Mexico days after he signed a new 10-year deal with the Lobos. Athletic director Dan Guerrero said Alford is �the perfect fit for UCLA� because he connects with a new generation of players and brings an up-tempo and team-oriented style of play to Westwood. �He�s ready for this stage,� Guerrero said on a teleconference. Alford agreed to a seven-year deal worth $18.2 million, with a yearly salary of $2.6 million, according to Guerrero. He will receive a $200,000 signing bonus. Alford will be introduced at UCLA on Tuesday. �I have been so fortunate and blessed in my life, and an opportunity to lead one of the greatest programs in college basketball history is once-in-a-lifetime,� he said in a statement.
Serena Williams broke the Key Biscayne women�s record for most titles, and Maria Sharapova set a new standard for futility in finals. Williams swept the final 10 games and earned her sixth championship in the event Saturday by rallying past Sharapova, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0, at the Sony Open. Sharapova completed a career Grand Slam by winning the French Open, but she�s now 0-5 in Key Biscayne finals. After playing nearly flawless tennis for an hour, she began to miss with her serve, and Williams dominated rallies.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have completed a five-year, $32.5 million contract agreement with first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. The contract runs through the 2018 season with a $14.5 million club option for 2019. The 25-year-old first baseman hit .286 with 43 doubles, 20 home runs and 82 RBIs last year, his first full season in the majors.
Johan Santana is set for another shoulder surgery that he hopes will save his career. The former New York Mets ace will have surgery Tuesday to repair the re-torn anterior capsule in his pitching shoulder, the team announced Saturday. The operation will be performed by Mets medical director Dr. David Altchek. Santana is likely to miss the entire season for the second time in three years, which means he may have thrown his last pitch for the Mets. The two-time Cy Young Award winner is in the final year of a $137.5 million contract.
The Buffalo Sabres traded defenseman Jordan Leopold to the St. Louis Blues for two draft picks. Buffalo announced the move before its game against the Washington Capitals on Saturday. It comes with the NHL trading deadline approaching on Wednesday. The Sabres received a second-round pick and a conditional fifth-round pick in this year�s draft. Leopold is a 10-year NHL veteran who has spent the past three seasons in Buffalo.


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Justin Timberlake to Tour with Jay-Z: Sources
The "Suit & Tie" duo will hit the road for 10 dates, which have yet to be announced
Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z are packing their suits and ties – as well as a 10-piece band – and hitting the road together.
The pair have performed together twice in recent weeks – at a concert in New Orleans the night before the Super Bowl, and famously at the Grammy Awards on Sunday.
But that was just a preview of what's to come: Timberlake, 32, and Jay-Z, 43, will visit at least 10 cities during a stadium tour together, sources tell PEOPLE.
Jay-Z is featured on Timberlake's comeback single, "Suit & Tie," from the upcoming album The 20/20 Experience, Timberlake's first new album in seven years.
Details of the tour, including the specific itinerary, have not yet been released.
Two fans who might be particularly pleased about the news? The musicians' wives, Jessica Biel and Beyoncé, who seemed to be having a grand old time together at the Grammys.
With Reporting By JESSICA HERNDON•


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You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'north pole ice' tag.
We had to combine the March challenge with April as we didn't have enough entries for one month. In the end we received 7 entries all so different that, as our judge D. Krauss said, "Congratulations to all of you, and thanks for letting me play. You are a rather dynamic group of writers, and it was a real pleasure to read y'all's work."
The challenge was a simple phrase: 'Final Morning' to be completed in 2000 words and the entrants were allowed to interpret that in any way they wished.
Our Judge D. Krauss
D. Krauss currently resides in the Shenandoah Valley. He's been a cottonpicker, a sod buster, a surgical orderly, the guy who paints the little white line down the middle of the road, a weatherman, a gun-totin' door-kickin' lawman, a layabout, and a bus driver, in that order. Website: http://www.dustyskull.com
These are his picks for the winning stories
First Place
I Object
by Chandan Sen Gupta
"Na'am?" asked the man at the counter. Accustomed to hearing Bahrainis converse with Indians in Hindi, I blurted out my name. "What?" he bellowed. I realized my folly immediately. His query to me was in Arabic. "Oh! I have an appointment for the renewal of my identity card," I quickly corrected myself.
The sluggish token display system in the bustling waiting hall was no match for the briskly marching digital next to it. I dropped down into one of the few empty chairs, resigning myself to a long wait, and soon my mind drifted back to the March Creative Challenge. In spite of my best efforts I had not been able to frame a story yet.
Why did the prompt have to sound so apocalyptic, I wondered. The Mayans had been proved wrong; the world did not end in 2012. But the hint of a doomsday in the obligatory phrase – Final Morning – unnerved me. Even the cynical Sandeepan, undeniably the most learned among my friends in matters related to the Earth and its environment, had admitted that things were beginning to look up over the last decade or so. "If it is true that the Chloro-Flouro-Carbons blew a hole through the Ozone layer in the Stratosphere, then tell me why it appeared over desolate Antarctica instead of America or Western Europe? After all that is where most of the CFC was coming from," the non-conformist Ambarish had posed the other evening, after a few pints of beer. "Extreme cold, freezing vortex wind, frozen atmospheric clouds and six months of darkness…" began Sandeepan. "But Professor isn't the hole showing signs of closing up already?" I asked, cutting the pessimist short. "You must give humanity full marks for initiating the stitching process by choking out the CFCs." Sandeepan had nodded reluctantly. Even the North Pole ice, which should have vanished by 2013 if the gory predictions on the effect of Green House Gases and Global Warming had proved right, was now showing signs of revival.
I had tried hard but could not get going with the prompt. The perpetual cycle of day and night, the change of seasons and the cycle of life so fascinated me that I refused to see any finality in them or anything else for that matter. After many failed attempts I had, finally, made it to Riffa Fort for a breakfast last Saturday. But there was nothing final about it. I wanted to go there again and gaze at the country side at the foot of the "Rimrock" – through the windows in its watch tower – just like the ruler Sheikh Salman Bin Ahmad Al Fatah once did.
Last week, while leafing though the newspaper at a coffee shop, a fellow writer let out a whoop and claimed triumphantly that he had, at last, found a thread to the story. "Americans see Blood Red Moon," I saw the screaming headlines. "A presage to the Armageddon," he declared, framing an imaginary title in the air. "But its occurrence can be explained though elementary Physics," I protested. He frowned at me for being a spoilsport. "I know that, but Physics can't make a good story."
"Are you sure it is not "Final Mourning?" Sukanya tried to help me out with an alternative approach, yesterday. "Err….but is there a preliminary mourning as well? You die only once, is it not?" Now I was more confused and distressed than ever. "A coward dies a thousand times before his death, but the valiant…." "Please Sukanya, not Shakespeare again. Give me a cue to the March Creative Challenge," I begged. "Get your laptop out and start pecking away at the keys. You'll soon be there," she counseled and breezed out of the room.
A call on my mobile distracted me. "Good morning Sir, this is Tolby." The name failed to ring a bell with me. "Tolby who?" I asked. "Tolby, from the Holiday Club, Sir. You became our member last night, remember?" "Ah yes, I do. Go on Tolby." There was no way I could forget the chap. "What are your hobbies?" he had asked, as we took our seats for the presentation the previous evening. "I used to have one when I was about your age. But not any longer." Penetrating through my defenses wasn't going to be easy for him, he realized. "You look tired. Are you just back from work?" he enquired, the smile never leaving his face. "Hmm," I nodded. "How many children do you have, Sir?" he asked again, trying a different approach to pry me open. Before I could utter a word, Mita had given him not only the answer to his query but also a brief bio-data of Ankur and Rinky. From them on he directed all the, seemingly, lucrative club membership and vacation schemes at my wife, realizing that she was the key to open my impregnable guard. "Imagine staying at the best resorts in town absolutely free for the next fifteen weeks, once you have become a member of the Holiday Club," he said after taking us on a virtual tour of the world – from South East Asia to Europe and America. "But your membership fees account for eleven of those fifteen years," I pointed out, after a quick mental calculation. "We also have the club facilities that come as a bonus," he came back promptly. I looked at Mita. Her wistful eyes suggested that she was already in far away Thailand or Malaysia.
"Congratulations Sir, for this wonderful gift to your family. I hope you are feeling better now," Tolby had said, shaking my hand at the end of the signing of the contract. For the first time that evening the smile on his face looked genuine. God knew who was, actually, feeling better. "Yeah, thanks for showing the way," I said and turned around. "I thought you mentioned that last year's world tour was a let down," I asked Mita as we drove back home. "Yes but we can't go to Mars, can we?" she remarked. I joined her in the laughter. It was true – a man's happiness lay in the contentment of his wife.
"Sir, I called to remind you of the photographs that we require for your membership cards," Tolby said over the phone. "I'll be there tonight with those," I said. "Thanks, have a good day, Sir."
"What is your token number?" asked the security guard, looking down at me as I switched off the mobile. "1090." "Come tomorrow, 1095 is already at the service desk," he pointed toward the display on the wall. "Uh! Oh!" I mumbled. The tortoise had finally caught up with the sleeping hare and gone past him. "But how.." I started to protest. "Don't worry, I was joking," laughed the guard. "Go next."
While returning home after work that afternoon, I prayed for clear roads. It had been a backbreaking day at the office and getting bogged down in the weekend traffic could finish me off. On my first day at the Driving School in Isa Town, ten years ago, the Traffic Instructor had posed to the trainees, "What is the major cause of bottlenecks on Bahrain's roads?" "Saudi Drivers?" a girl suggested innocently. Though the Instructor had roundabouts in his mind, everyone saw her point. As luck would have it, I ran into a snarl at the mouth of Exhibition Road. The lights turned green, then amber and finally red but the traffic remained as static as ever. When, after an agonizing wait of fifteen minutes, the vehicles started moving again, I saw my path blocked by a gleaming Volkswagon Beetle. I risked annoying the others and honked, but the car did not budge. In despair, I watched the lights go back to red. When I finally managed to maneuver past the stranded car, the reason behind its immobility became clear- the exhausted driver had fallen asleep at the wheel!
"Let' walk down to Exhibition Road and get some Samosas for a snack," suggested Mita, as I entered the house. "Not a bad idea," I concurred with her. The sight of young men playing cricket next to our building always enthused me. On most Friday mornings, the sound of their strokes woke me up from sleep. It was wonderful to see Indians, Pakistanis and Baluchis forget their national rivalries and enjoy the game together. Further down the road, we passed the footballers in their brightly coloured jerseys, deeply engrossed in their game. I loved the vibrancy in the air. My program for Friday was already planned – an early morning visit to the heritage buildings along the Pearl Route in Muharraq and a tour of the Al Areen Wild Life Park later in the afternoon. My work load over the next two months, to achieve the project milestones, was substantial, but the thought of the week long trip to the exotic Caribbean islands after that thrilled me no end. How I wished this life would continue forever.
The bleep on my mobile notified me of an email. It was a reminder from Rohini for the March Challenge. My mind was made up. I would write back saying that this prompt was not for me, may there never be a final morning.
2nd Place
Another Long Journey Home
by Gordon Simmonds
Excerpts from the Memoirs of an Industrial Mercenary.
I was thirty something and working as a technician in Saudi Arabia. In accordance with the contract, I only got home to Ireland for two weeks every four months. My employers in Saudi gave us the cost of an air fare direct to the UK in cash, which allowed us the opportunity to book our own flights, and if we could find a cheaper route, we could pocket the difference. It's hard to believe now, but I must have been more resilient in those days, because the cheapest route I could find was Dhahran to Bahrain, Bahrain to Kuwait, Kuwait to Heathrow, Heathrow to Belfast. I presume it must have been Kuwaiti Airlines because the key condition was that I must travel via Kuwait.
I'm not sure what year this took place but I guess 1977/78 and the weather was fine and sunny although it was not summer. The trip home was long but uneventful and I spent the vacation with my parents in Ireland. On the return, I chose to have a stop-over in London so that I could stay overnight with my brother and his family in Essex on my way back to Saudi.
My flight from Heathrow to Kuwait was at eleven o'clock in the morning, so it was very early and I am almost ready to leave for the three hour journey to Heathrow when there was a knock on the door. Hard to imagine these days, but without a word of a lie, there, on the doorstep were two uniformed policemen. They asked if they could talk to Gordon Simmonds. When I identified myself, they went on to say "We have just received a phone call from your mother to say that your brother hasn't got a phone so she can't contact you. She wants you to know that there is a rail strike today and there will be no trains running". Just that. I thanked them and away they went.
Oh dear, this was going to be tricky. In my usual delinquent fashion, the time I had allowed was adequate but with little room for error. In my defence, I had just spent four months in the desert and two weeks in Ireland, and was totally out of touch with the situation in England. Anyway; my brother didn't have a car, so straight away I contacted a car hire company……. and another, then another. There was not a car to be had in the whole of Southend. Obviously, everyone knew about the strike – except me.
I'm panicking now. What little spare time I had allowed was gone, so at the cost of an arm and a leg, I called a taxi. At least I was on my way – but not for long. We had barely got out of town when we hit the queue….. forty miles of it. Every commuter who normally went to London by train was on this road – we could have walked it quicker. However, after hours of travelling at a snail's pace, we got to the airport. Breathless and exhausted I arrived at the check-out with ten minutes to spare whereupon, "Sorry sir. You are too late, the gate is closed." I begged, I pleaded, I claimed extenuating circumstances. I even appealed to higher authority, but to no avail – the gate was closed, the plane had gone.
OK then. Plan B… Except there was no plan B. So I invented one.
I found out that the next flight to the Gulf was British Airways to Doha leaving around midnight. From there it was only a short hop to Kuwait. In those days there were only two types of passenger, first class and the rest, and a ticket was transferable. The fact that I don't remember having to pay extra, suggests that I must have been able to use the existing ticket. Otherwise that would only have added insult to injury, and I wouldn't have forgotten that.
Anyway I'm booked on the flight and I've got twelve hours to wait. Then, as now, airports are the most soul destroying places on earth. Nowhere comfortable to sit, nothing to do, and a mortgage required for food and drink. After reading the daily paper from cover to cover and doing all the puzzles, midnight arrived; at which point the message came up on the notice board, "flight delayed". Two hours later, we started to board. The captain came on the intercom "Sorry about the delay ladies and gentlemen, but if you look out of the left hand window, you will see that this three engined plane now has four engines". He went on to explain that a Trident was grounded in Doha with engine problems and needed a new one, so they had bolted a spare one on the outside of the wing. This was a novel excuse but sure enough, there were two engines on the left wing and only one on the right. Perhaps they could now call it a Quadrant and I've claimed the bragging rights ever since.
We took off and I adopted my usual travelling procedure and was fast asleep before the plane left the ground. Waking only for meals, we got to the gulf six hours later, at which point the pilot came on the intercom and said "Sorry ladies and gentlemen, but there is thick fog in Doha and we are having to divert to Abu Dhabi". Plan B was looking decidedly flawed, since this now meant I would miss my connecting flight to Kuwait.
I'd been travelling for twenty four hours when we landed at Abu Dhabi and after a while in transit, the fog cleared in Doha and we continued the flight. As expected, my connecting flight to Kuwait was long gone, but with the consolation that there was another later that day. Another interminable wait and then off to Kuwait which by now was in darkness. Now you might be forgiven for thinking that the journey was nearly over – no such luck. My next connecting flight to Bahrain had also gone.
Kuwait airport was under renovation and the transit lounge had plastic sheeting for windows. As I've already stated, I'm not sure what time of year this was, but it was either early spring or late autumn because it was cold. I spent a very uncomfortable night shivering whilst trying to sleep spread out across three or four plastic seats. Next morning, I finally got the flight to Bahrain. By the time we arrived I had been travelling for forty eight hours. I must have had to wait all day for a flight into Dhahran, because it was dark again when we landed. Passport control and customs was always slow in Dhahran, so I made sure that I was among the first to get off, and reached passport control at the front of the queue. I presented my well-worn passport to the official and he flicked through the pages, and again, and again. He looked up at me and said "mafi visa" (no visa) and waved me away in that peremptory fashion typical of Arab officials. Stunned, I too flicked through the pages, and again, and sure enough the passport was full and there was no entry visa.
At this point I must tell you that Saudi visas took up a full page of a passport, and flicking through, it was easy to count the visas……. entry, exit, entry etc. until the last page which was exit. What had happened was that the visa office had stamped the exit visa, but couldn't add the re-entry visa because there were no more pages – and then decided not tell anyone. Eventually one of the airline staff was brought over and I was duly escorted back to the plane I came in on. Next stop Bahrain.
After travelling non-stop for so long, the next few days were something of a blur to me and I remember little of the detail. I took a taxi to a hotel; I don't know what or where and fell into a dreamless sleep. Now here I must digress to explain that British Embassies are there for the sole purpose of providing a palatial edifice for the residence of the ambassador. Any British citizen in need of help is merely an unwanted distraction to the main business of entertaining rich dignitaries.
My first obstacle to getting into the place was the man on the gate; an unshaven local employee who made it obvious that I was a nuisance and had the cheek to interrogate me as to my intentions. Eventually I got through to a room that looked like a bank, but not so posh. I queued for ages and when I got to the window, I had to go through all the interrogation rigmarole again; looking back now, I realise that I never saw or spoke to an English person throughout the whole sorry time. I was told to come back the next day. I suppose I ought to have been grateful for such a quick turn-around – but at the time, I wasn't.
Next day was a similar story at the Saudi Embassy. Again, it was come back next day, and again, I should have been grateful, but again, I wasn't. Eventually, armed with a shiny new passport and another full page visa, I was able to board a flight for the short fifteen minute hop to Dhahran. Six days after I started this journey, I got home and back to work.
3rd Place
Final Morning
by Michelle Schultz
We are withholding Michelle's story as she is developing it further.
Congratulations everyone!
Other Entries!
Continuing on from last time – with the permission of the writers I am placing a few of the other entries. Please leave your comments so we know what your take is on the stories! The stories are listed in no particular order of preference.
Nancy the Servant
by Noor Nass
It was 1930, when Nancy was cleaning the balcony and placing some lavender flowers on the balcony of the house. Everyone called it Al Jara at that time.
She hears a man entering the door, with his pondering footsteps. The servant who was a part-time maid whispered to her: " Is it that English man again, the one I spoke to you earlier about"
"What was his name- oh yes, D A I LY. Sargent D A I L Y. Looks like – they found something in those field digs that you heard earlier about, dear Nancy"
Nancy responded to her coworker " sounds like a break through"
Colonel Daily responded to the servants with a hiss " is that English I hear?"
"Yes sir!" As Nancy & her co-worker bowed down with respect, and continued cleaning up the Jara house, with what looked like a mopping stick made from palm leaves.
Colonel Daily – with merely a whisper " we found it, we found it" mumbling with joy to his spirit. "Where is he?" Questioning what looked like a soft physique yogurt skin young lady at an age of 19 years young, that was so focused on cleaning.
" Who sire? " – Nancy's Co-worker responded, with thick Gramanic English accent, as she was old.
They might assume that you are an Anglo-Norman, some say.
Nancy responded to DAILY directly " over their – Sargent!"
As her Majesty enters through the door, "Well, of course – you mean my dear husband," the Queen enters to the living room bows her head down with respect to the Sargent DAILY as the guest of the day. While, signaling a sign language of dismissal to the servants, so they can receive their signal to leave the room & carry on their house duties or chores.
" Who, are you looking for Sargent Daily, and please be quick & specific" as his highness Prince of the Arabs has been given you enough of his time following the events you handled on some English nonsense.
My dear Queen " it is time, to inform the Prince of the awaited result"
" We found it, the first Arab dig of Oil " it is the first in the region it is unbelivable.
The Queen directly ordered the servants back again and firmly spoke to them by saying, "call your Majesty directly and interrupt his Ottoman phone call."
The events that took place after that shifted rapidly, in the Sheikh and his people lifestyle and economical situation. The Delmonia that they once knew has transformed itself to a considerable important hub, of national and international affairs in the oil industry of the 1930's of the 20the century.
Delmonia became an export and import of international affairs, which allowed them to invite new neighboring bloods, to take over hand on jobs. While, the people of Delmonia- transformed themselves to a desk job. In order for them, to delegate future aspirations, and environmental security and economical welfare of prosperity. Wealth found it's way hidden among them again.
These were the days of how life changed, outside the Palace of Al Jara.
As the days ends at the palace, Nancy picks up herself and finds her way out to the awaited carriage, to be driven by the escorted mule to what sounds like a muddy road of pouring rain.
All of a sudden the mule begins to make a sound, and stops to what seemed like a nearby village.
It's up north from the Palace, and it took Nancy and her carriage some 45 minutes, until arrival. Due, to the darkness with dim lightning's.
The village was made of five houses placed next to each other, to resemble a neighborhood.
Each house was made from dried palm trees leave and felt very natural as in part of nature.
Nancy stepped down of the carriage and walked to her home alone house of palms, that within her she always dreamed of a different of prosperity.
It was made of 4 bed rooms and a palm rug. In the hallway!
Originally, Nancy's mother – was brought down by an English navigator from the ports of Phoenicia.
Her mother was a common country girl, which lived in an upper scale society. She fell in love with a man outside her family circles. The neighbors say, he was an English or French man – that they were not quiet sure about. Due, to the newly introduced – world order back than.
No one knew the true identity of the carrier. As Nancy's mother, kept it a secret and took the first exit trip on port to a country they called Delmonia for a fresh water start.
There, she gave birth to her daughter at the Path hospital and she named her daughter Nancy, in relevance to a nurse nun that delivered her first baby.
Nancy's mother was a brilliant dancer and enjoyed life at the night clubs that thy called Malahi. Arwa never understood why some men never enjoyed whisky and gin and strip dancing for clients that paid substantially good amounts.
But, the changing world was coming and Arwa had to stop what she was and settle down with a Muslim man. As the custom of Delmonia was known to be a savior and not a lover.
Arwa loved him dearly, and never understood the world of the laws. And Adnan never knew that she was the best thing that happened in his life. Soon after she passed away, from the Collaria Mosquito – leaving Nancy at the age of 5 years old with Adnan as her step father.
And that is how Nancy was brought up in Delmoni in the 1920's by a man named Adnan that taught her how to read, write and type on a type writer in English broken grammar as their mother language.
By the age of 15 Nancy found her first job as servant in al Jara and Adnan as her stepfather, moved out to settle with his new wife from a country called Yamen Eden.
When Sergeant DAILY left the house, after his meetings with the Sheikh, all he can think about was Nancy.
Her soft spoken dialect with sweet respect to her Majesty the Queen made him want to keep Nancy all for himself, as a luxury of a hard days work.
Back in the village Nancy began wondering how life would have been if she was ever married.
Pretending that God left her all alone in this world.
Well, off she goes again as her next door neighbor watches her clean the palm rug from the dust and fix the lanterns for reading time in the dark. While supper is boiling, of sweet potatoes, spinach and lentil beads.
All of a sudden she smells smoke – oh no the house is burning. She grabs her necklace and runs to the neighbors. Her neighbor tried to calm her down and made her go to bed directly.
And one final morning as Nancy wakes up and walks outside of her gorgeous savior neighbor's house, only to find her palm house smashed with mud and charcoal smoke. That covered the whole area of the village with what looked like a black mist of smoky palm leaves. All the neighbors began sobbing and were just thankful that it was the other nigh of element of nature. Due, to the heavy rain that washed away her burned home by Hooligan Thugs out of revenge of someone.
She couldn't capture what to think or feel at that moment, because she loved him and feared him. Luckily she did not understand authority and how series they are for those that commit to them.
She can see that authority walking right towards on a fine morning day. Sargent DAILY walks beside her and, gets down on his knees and proposes to Nancy. While, she has tears streaming down of her eyes of what was lost of hard days work. She responded back to him, I do not know what to say, as the answer will not please you ears or your mouth alone. I already asked your father, and he gave me my yes. Can you give me yours?
– End –
Prisoner # 42114
by Noor AlNoaimi
Metal sounds echoed in a random but rhythmic hymn of dread. Their steely dank prison was a cluster of square rooms, divided by bars, parted by a slim corridor that slithered past them towards the stairs beyond to the faint light there- Freedom. Teasing their eyesight, yet it was elusive, away, like the air they breathed yet could not touch.
Christopher was in his last days, no longer did he dream like the young men around him, of a home and a wife, of money and fame, of dark deeds done in the night, of continued debauchery, of crimes that were yet left uncommitted jailed as they were.
Murmurs, curses, rotten oaths that bounced off their lips like breath, so commonly said, weightless towards the passing guards that strolled past their bars. He sat there, his empty eyes upon the sight of the free man of the law beyond him, whistling his tune as if the sight of the fallen men around him was a delight.
"You're up next, Columbus!" Cooed the officer beyond his bars, and for a moment he did not realize the words were to him, he had long ago forgotten his name, the famed surname he carried was exchanged for prisoner number 42114, plastered upon his mucked uniform right against his heart.
"For what?" Snapped his younger neighbor, another prisoner of the metal chambers.
" Just a quick poke in the head, he wouldn't even have to stand."
Some gasped, some laughed, others stared in plain horror for that same cruelty might turn to them next.
His neighbour did not go on in his show of defiance, he stepped back, starred at the warden then glanced towards him, Christopher, at a loss for words.
I will be dead soon. His numb mind predicted, just as the lone officer passed him still humming cheerfully, his glazed hollow eyes stared at the man of the law, swaying up the stairs in good cheer, as if such an event was a jovial one, perhaps it was. He had not led a good life, not in the least. He had smuggled more than any of these common folk dreamed of, he had leached enough to have limitless fortunes overseas, and even more in his motherland.
But it was no use, for they were blocked away, banished from him just like the lifestyle he used to lead, he was now an exile of that life, a nothing, a figment of the man he had been, a loser; and losers always ended up in these situations.
The echoed voices of the men around him carried on, checked 'Boom' explosions into the dreadful present, their faces would glance his way, men leaned against their barred cells to talk to the occupants of the next one, "Who was he?"
"Used to be some big shot in New York."
"Millions! They said he stole it all."
"How did he do that?"
All eyes settled on him, killers eyed him, assessed him from the top of his white head, to the tips of his chipped shoes. Their disturbing smirks, daggers into his long dead pride, perhaps gleeful that one of those rich show offs was first in line, in what un-doubtfully be their fate too. Younger delinquents looked to him in awe, stricken that they did not know more of the quiet old man that was to die, Others who have witnessed such things did not bat an eye, relics of the place much like the bars behind him, a cool reminder of that the discomfort he felt now would only be temporary, it would all end soon.
Christopher Columbus was a man of very few words; he kept to himself, took a seat at the corner and did not make eye contact with the rest of them. He would look at times but his eyes would blink them out of focus in a moment, it was clear to all of them that he did not want any attachments, and for a cell of emotionally challenged cons that was easy enough, they left him to his solitude, ignored him. For who would care about numb old 42114? Nobody did until now, until death came with the timely proclamation that he was to be jolted and poked until he was gone from this world.
He stared ahead, his startling blue eyes now paler than they'd ever been, his head of fine blonde hair turned shades of white and grey, he was dying as it was, his very body shrinking towards the ground, it did not matter if it was tomorrow or the next, death would come, swift or slow, it will come.
The light around him snapped off, the whispers around him ceased and he closed his eyes for a moment, welcoming the dark.
Next he opened them, it was morning, the metal sounds returned, banging upon the rusty bars of the cells, it was like any other day really, except this time the clanking stopped with him, they opened the bars, and in walked the warden, the same man from yesterday, his hand clasped his belt, his eyes black pools in the dim lighting.
"Stand up, Columbus…Its gonna be over soon." He said.
Christopher stood, though his knees were wobbly, his step unbalanced, the two officers behind the warden held him by his arms, pulling him out of his dank cell and adjusting his wrists to the hand cuffs they had.
"Like he's a threat!" Chuckled one of the cons on the opposite side of him.
" Smooth sailing, Mr. C"
"Bye bye, Mr. C"
"God bless."
The array of their masculine voices echoed behind him, young and old, deep and boyish, mocking and kind.
But his mouth was mute to reply, he felt heavy as they made him walk the steps towards the elusive light, the effects on his eyes was devastating, for it wasn't the sun or the stars but fluorescents, rectangular blocks of lightening that blinded him. He squinted, then closed his eyes for a moment as he was led away, letting them take him to the dreaded beyond.
The chill, dark, even dampness of the air, he could smell his own sweat, his hair matted like a pampered dog out in the sun for too long.
"Here we are." Came the warden's voice as he banged the white doors open, walking him over to the metal seat at the center of the room.
"You may stand aside, Fin." Said an accented voice in a masterful tone.
Christopher dared to open his eyes now, the haunting lights made everything look green and sallow, or perhaps it was his own vision that did that.
Behind the long table beyond him, sat three individuals all wearing similar black suits, their frames broad and slim, their eyes held his in an assessing manner, the papers in front of them signified one thing.
He was a job, a workload they wanted to get done and over with. They did not care for his history; they did not care for his past, nothing more than to get him in a grave soon enough to indulge in their morning coffee.
Their voices recounted his wrong doings, his crimes, reasons that had put him into such an existence; reasons for the death he was about to experience.
He stared at their lips, the numbness slowly began to leave him, while the officers exchanged the metal cuffs for the leathered ones to bind his wrists onto the chair's arms, his neck was also bound against the metal back of the chair, his head too, forced upon with that ominous bondage, wires hung around him in a deathly sway, murderous trappings for prisoner 42114.
"…Following the decree of the condemned, we hereby order to initiate the execution."
"Any last words?" They asked in union.
Hot saliva snaked his mouth, his gaze blurred a thousand versions of them, and to his aged eyes, they did not look three at all, more like a hundred demons gliding up to meet his helpless gaze to ask that malicious question.
Last words? His brain repeated, an empty echo through his bare mind.
" Any Last words, 42114?" They asked again, impatience in their tone.
"My name-" He rasped, "My name is Christopher." His voice sounded weak, and low so he said it again. "My name is Christopher…"
"We know that, Mr. Columbus. Will that be all?"
" My name is Christopher." He repeated. "My name is Christopher."
Again and again he said it, his discarded tongue speaking after much silence, the one truth he knew of his life, his name.
"Commence." Said the man at the centre, his tone even, still masterful.
The lights around him turned red, purple, yellow…radiant colours that jolted his brain a thousand times over, the electric shots that went through him, burned and chilled him, smoke ensued and he could smell his own burnt flesh in the air, charred skin over fire.
Then it all stopped, his breath caught.
He longed for the sun, the empty sky that so resembled his eyes, but he did not see calm blue, no he saw black, jarring black, peering into his pupils.
"Still breathing!" Barked the warden to the distant corner, obviously to the one responsible for the deadly contraption that would lead to his undoing.
It did not take long for the colours to come back, the smell to return, the breathlessness to continue. The jolts intensified, shaking him a million times a minute, the stabs of the laced wires pulled his soul away, scorched his body until once more it turned dark.
Black, just like the eyes of the warden, emotionless black beads that stared into his.
"There has been a mistake." The devil whispered.
Christopher's gaze widened, he looked around him, it was the same room, the same dark fluorescent lighting, but there was no one else, he was alone.
" Unfortunately, I cannot remedy your death." The devil went on in that disturbing whisper.
Christopher stared, speechless, shivering at the news the creature spoke to him.
"You were an innocent…a little more than a common thief. I've had Pedophiles, Killers, rapists. A lot more deserving of this than you…yet here you are."
Where am I? He wanted to ask but his teeth were bared down against each other, his mouth immobile to utter a sentence to the menacing face of Satan.
"Lets make a deal." The devil continued a clawed finger emerged, black and menacing from his oversized fist. "I will let you walk away from the hell I represent if you do this…"
The faces he last saw before he left the world were around him, emotionless as they bore down their gazes at his body, none blinked as they touched his charred flesh, nor did they whisper a prayer for his sake, none cared to.
"Revenge?" The devil murmured against his ear, the vowels he spoke slurred in a song that touched his consciousness, he was under his spell, a deviant urge to rise and kill someone, specifically the men that put him to his doom so unjustly.
"Yes…"He rasped in the dark.


text: (Reuters) – Samsung Electronics Co is preparing to launch a new smartphone in Russia and India based on its homegrown operating system Tizen, people familiar with the matter said, according to the Wall Street Journal on Sunday. Officials at Samsung were not immediately available for comment Sunday afternoon. The paper said this was the latest step in Samsungs push to compete more directly in mobile software and services with Google Inc and Apple Inc. The South Korean technology giant is planning an event in Moscow in the coming weeks to introduce a smartphone running on the Tizen operating system, the people told the Journal. The launch in Russia would be presented at an \Unpacked\ event, similar to the format that Samsung uses to unveil its flagship devices, one person told the paper.


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Question: "How is Jesus Christ unique?"Recommended Resource:
1. He is the only, unique Son of God (Psalm 2:7, 11-12; John 1:14; Luke 1:35).
2. He is eternal. He existed from eternity past, He exists in the present, and He will exist for all eternity in the future (John 1:1-3, 14; John 8:58).
3. Jesus alone is the One who bore our sins so that we could have forgiveness and be saved from them (Isaiah 53; Matthew 1:21; John 1:29; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Corinthians 15:1-3).
4. Jesus is the only Way to the Father (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5); there is no other way to salvation. He is the only righteous One who exchanged that perfect righteousness for our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21).
5. Jesus alone had power over His own death and the ability take back His life again (John 2:19; 10:17-18). Note: His resurrection was not a "spiritual" one, but was physical (Luke 24:39). His resurrection from the dead, never to die again, distinguished Him as the unique Son of God (Romans 1:4).
6. Jesus alone accepted worship as an equal with the Father (John 20:28-29; Philippians 2:6), and indeed God the Father states that the Son is to be honored as He is honored (John 5:23). All others, whether Jesus' disciples or angelic beings, rightly reject that worship (Acts 10:25-26; Acts 14:14-15; Matthew 4:10; Revelation 19:10; 22:9).
7. Jesus has the power to give life to whom He will (John 5:21).
8. The Father has committed all judgment to Jesus (John 5:22).
9. Jesus was with the Father and directly involved in the creation, and it is by His hand that all things are held together (John 1:1-3; Ephesians 3:9; Hebrews 1:8-10; Colossians 1:17).
10. It is Jesus who will rule the world at the end of this present age (Hebrews 1:8; Isaiah 9:6-7; Daniel 2:35, 44; Revelation 19:11-16).
11. Jesus alone was born of a virgin, conceived by the Holy Spirit. The sin nature is genetically inherited from the male. He had no human father and therefore was born without a sin nature (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:20-23; Luke 1:30-35).
12. It is Jesus who demonstrated that He had the attributes of God [e.g., the power to forgive sins and heal the sick (Matthew 9:1-7); to calm the wind and waves (Mark 4:37-41; Psalm 89:8-9); to know us, being perfectly acquainted with us (Psalm 139; John 1:46-50; 2:23-25), to raise the dead (John 11; Luke 7:12-15; 8:41-55), etc.]
13. There are a great number of prophecies concerning the Messiah's birth, life, resurrection, person, and purpose. All were fulfilled by Him and no other (Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2; Psalm 22; Zechariah 11:12-13; 13:7; Isaiah 9:6-7; Isaiah 53; Psalm 16:10).
How is Jesus Christ unique?
God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of Christ by Stephen Wellum
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Who is Jesus Christ?
How is the Christian religion different from all the other world religions?
How is Jesus different from other religious leaders?
What makes Christianity unique?
How is Jesus greater than all the other great people in history?
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Questions about Jesus Christ
How is Jesus Christ unique?


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I once again had the pleasure of speaking with an HUC colleague about their latest work. Joshua Garroway, Assistant Professor of Early Christianity and Second Commonwealth and the Rabbi Michael Matuson Professorship for an Emerging Scholar, recently published his book Paul's Gentile-Jews: neither Jew nor Gentile, but Both (Palgrave MacMillan, 2012)
SFS: Congratulations on your new book! You probably get asked this a lot, but how did a nice Jewish rabbi and scholar like you get interested in Christian texts and the inter-Testamental period of history?
JDG: This question comes up less than it might have a few decades ago, as the number of Jews interested in the origins of Christianity has increased considerably. There are now a couple dozen Jews with expertise in early Christian studies and countless Jewish readers interested in books on the topic. My own personal adventure began as an undergraduate student at Duke University, where I pursued seriously a childhood curiosity about ancient Roman culture. This pursuit led to studies of Judaism and Christianity in antiquity and eventually to a degree in religious studies. In rabbinical school I came under the tutelage of a number of rabbis who suggested that an academic rabbinate might be the best choice for me, among them Rabbi Michael Cook, professor of ancient Christianity.
When considering the field in which I would pursue a doctorate, I was given good advice by my mentors: choose a field whose questions keep you up at night. The mystery of the historical Jesus, the puzzles in Paul's epistles, the relationship of ancient Judaism to emerging Christianity–these questions fascinate me. Why? I suppose it's because it's such a crucial moment (pun intended) in the history of western civilization; though, admittedly, thrice weekly sessions with a good analyst might unearth different motivations. That will have to wait until my schedule and my wallet permit it, however.
SFS: I admit I felt a little trepidation picking up your book; I found the title to be a little off-putting and confusing. What do you mean by "gentile" and "gentile-Jews"?
JDG: Actually, the term "Gentile-Jew" is supposed to be off-putting and confusing. It's a term I used to describe the Gentiles in Paul's communities who became baptized into the death and resurrection of Christ and as a result changed their fundamental orientation toward life. They expected Christ to return imminently to judge the world and they believed that their baptism would enable them to stand justified before him in that moment. These were not Jewish folks who believed in Jesus' resurrection and expected his return, such as the apostles. Nor were they Gentiles who, as part and parcel of the baptism into Christ, became circumcised, accepted the commandments of the Torah, and for all intents and purposes became Jews. These were Gentiles who remained uncircumcised, did not keep kosher, observe the Sabbath, and so on. The argument in my book is that Paul nevertheless believed that such Gentiles were in fact the most authentic sort of Jew, because in the wake of Christ's death and resurrection the parameters of Jewish identity had been radically redefined. It was now faith and baptism alone that made one a circumcised, Torah observant, and a direct descendant of Abraham. Of course, nearly everyone else looking at such people would have identified them as uncircumcised, non-Torah observant Gentiles. It's the very state of being simultaneously identified as the most authentic sort of Jew (by Paul) and authentically Gentile (by others) that is captured in the confusing and off-putting expression "Gentile-Jew."
SFS: I was fascinated to learn that the "proto-Christians" (my term) were seen as a sect of Judaism like the Pharisees or Sadducees.
JDG: It can make sense to see earliest Christianity as somewhat analogous to other Jewish sects in the first century, but mostly so when it comes to the Christian communities in the Land of Israel comprised of Jews (e.g., the first church communities in Jerusalem). The comparison is less apt when we're dealing with Gentile initiates.
SFS: It seems that at times you equate "Jews" with "monotheists" so therefore is someone gave up their multiple idols because of a belief in Jesus, they must be a form of "Jew."
JSG: I don't mean to equate "Jews" with "monotheists," as being a Jew in antiquity did not necessarily mean one was a monotheist and being a monotheist did not necessarily mean one was a Jew. Plus, our notion of monotheism is not the same as what monotheism meant in antiquity. But it's true that one of the several characteristics that typified Jews in antiquity was their peculiar dedication to a single, invisible God in a single, idol-less Temple, and their spurning of other gods and idols. And so, yes, to some extent even Gentile believers in Jesus who abandoned idols and pantheons may have understood this transformation as a turn towards a Jewish way of life.
SFS: You describe Jewishness and gentileness (gentility?) as the end points of a spectrum and give a list of requirements that could be used to define a Jew (e.g. circumcision, observance of dietary laws, observance of Sabbath and holidays, Jewish parents, etc.). This is a list of inclusionary items. At what point did belief in the divinity of Jesus become an exclusionary item?
JDG: Well, that's the $64,000 question (not adjusted for inflation). The most accurate, least helpful answer is that it occurred in different ways, in different places, at different times between the first century and the fourth. Tracing the development of this so-called "parting of the ways" (a term that is losing favor) has become a very vibrant area of research in early Jewish and Christian studies. In short, some of the important points in the process frequently addressed by scholars are the law-free Gentile mission of Paul, the destruction of the Temple, the Fiscus Judaicus tax (imposed by Rome after the first Jewish War), the birkat minim, the rise of rabbinic hegemony, and the Christianization of the Roman Empire
SFS: In your discussion of Romans 4:-12, you say that Paul considered Abraham to be the ancestor of all the followers of Jesus regardless of whether they have Jewish or gentile backgrounds. Is this a parallel to the belief that Jesus died for his followers sins; that Abraham was circumcised as a symbol of his followers faith without them having to be circumcised themselves?
JDG: I read Rom. 4:1-12 as the culmination of a lengthy argument in which Paul explains to his Gentile readership how they will be able to stand justified before Jesus upon his imminent return. Many such Gentiles, it seems, believed that "becoming Jewish," as we might understand it, was the best course of action. They should become circumcised, accept the commandments of the Torah, and so on. After all, what better way to be reconciled to the God of Israel than to embrace the laws given by the God of Israel! According to Paul, however, Gentiles are incorrigibly sinful and their effort to live like Jews will inevitably fail. Indeed, the very reason that Jesus died and rose was precisely so that Gentiles, by becoming baptized into that death and resurrection, would have access to another avenue into the covenant with God. They need to become Jewish, so to speak, but Paul contends that baptism produces a more authentically Jewish identity than one would acquire by becoming circumcised and embracing the Torah. For Paul, baptism into Christ transforms Gentiles ontologically by furnishing them the circumcised penis required for admission into the covenant of Abraham and even line of physical descent from Abraham. They become Abraham's children and members of Abraham's covenant.


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Rumor: Rasheed Wallace 'real interested' in Bulls?
Former #Celtics F Rasheed Wallace is "real interested" in the #Bulls, source close to Wallace tells #CSNNE.com. Chi has some reservations.
HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Rasheed Wallace has interest in the Chicago Bulls, however, the feeling may not be mutual.
Wallace, once a premier power forward in the NBA, is looking to come out of retirement and join a contender for a title run.
On paper, the Bulls could use Wallace. He defends, has championship experience, and would provide another option on the block and perimeter.
The reality would be more complicated. The Bulls are a young, impressionable bunch, and Wallace's temperament and affinity for collecting technical fouls (see video) might not be the best influence.
For instance, Wallace excelled on experienced teams like Boston and Detroit, where Celtic and Piston veterans like Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton and Ben Wallace kept him in line.
The younger Bulls, even though they recently signed Hamilton, lack veterans. So expect them to pass on 'Sheed.
Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.


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KLS Backup 2011 Professional 18.104.22.168 Retail | 12.6 MB
KLS Backup 2011 is a powerful backup, synchronization and disk cleaner program that allows you to back up or synchronize your data to local and network drives, CD/DVD media or FTP server. The cleanup feature is a complete solution to backup and clean private data and free up disk space. The backup files can be stored uncompressed or compressed in standard Zip, 7-Zip or SQX format.
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It's late...my first post this year and it's late...3 AM. I really just wanted make a statement:
If you're using food stamps to buy sodas, maybe you shouldn't be using your cash to buy cigarettes.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Posted by OH Bee Juan at 3:00 AM
0 comments:
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8800 Dunwoody Place
Sandy Springs, Georgia, 30350
Commute to Downtown Roswell
Some errands can be accomplished on foot.
A few nearby public transportation options.
About your score
8800 Dunwoody Place has a Walk Score of 59 out of 100. This location is Somewhat Walkable so some errands can be accomplished on foot.
This location is in Sandy Springs. The closest park is Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.
Explore how far you can travel by car, bus, bike and foot from 8800 Dunwoody Place.
8800 Dunwoody Place has some transit which means a few nearby public transportation options.
Bus lines:
85 Roswell / Mansell Rd
0.0 mi
87 Roswell Rd./Morgan Falls
0.0 mi
View all Sandy Springs apartments on a map.
Popular apartment searches include pool, hardwood floor and fireplace.
Search for homes in Sandy Springs or find a Sandy Springs real estate agent who knows walkable neighborhoods. Links will open on our partner site Redfin.com.
This location is in the city of Sandy Springs, GA. Sandy Springs has an average Walk Score of 27 and has 93,853 residents.Learn More About Sandy Springs


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Your Item Color and Text Color are the Same. Please Select Another Color.
Fill your Mom's heart with love, hope & dreams by presenting her with this uniquely engraved heart jewelry box. Our Personalized Keepsake Box makes a fabulous Personalized Mother's Day Gift for Her. Don't forget this Personalized Mother's Day Gift is a perfect great gift for Mom or Grandma. The bride & groom will love this as a Personalized Wedding or Anniversary Gift. Our Personalized Memory Box is a heart shaped jewelry box with a bright silver-plated removable top and bottom. Inside of the heart features a soft, blue felt to protect your precious jewelry. Measures 3 1/2"L x 3 1/2"W x 1 1/2"H. Engraved Jewelry Box includes FREE Personalization! Personalize your Heart Jewelry Box with any name title or name and a two line custom message.
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Bertrand Serlet is widely considered to be the brains behind Apple's Mac operating system. He was even mentioned as a possible successor to Steve Jobs at one point. So it came as a shock to some when Serlet decided to step down in March, 2011 after 22 years with the company.
At the time, Serlet offered a vague explanation for his decision, noting that he wanted to "focus less on products and more on science." He didn't mention any specific plans at the time and has effectively dropped off the radar, until now.
Business Insider has learned that Serlet has spent much of the time since his departure from Apple working with at least two other former Apple employees to launch a cloud computing startup in downtown Palo Alto called Upthere.
The startup is still in stealth mode, so information about it is scarce, but we've uncovered a few details about the company through job postings, trademark requests, domain name registrations and tweets from employees.
The earliest reference to the company online dates back to April of last year, right after Serlet left Apple, when Upthere, Inc was granted the trademark for "Upthere." In that initial trademark request, the startup is described as being a "cloud hosting provider" which offers "consulting services in the field of cloud computing."
Job postings for design engineers started popping up towards the end of 2011, by which point the company described itself as being an early stage startup looking to build a cloud storage feature, with seven employees on staff.
Some of these job postings also allude to the fact that the startup was founded by high-profile ex-Apple employees.
"Our founders were key to building the world's leading operating system (Mac OS X) and database (Oracle) and have a clear vision of core technology for a Cloud OS," one posting notes.
We have since learned that this is a reference to Serlet (the brains behind Mac OS X) and Roger Bodamer, a former VP of product operations and development at Apple who previously worked at Oracle.
We first heard about Upthere earlier this month by chance while looking through the LinkedIn profile of Justin Maxwell, a former user interface designer at Apple who later worked at Mint. We noticed that he'd spent the past eight months working at an unknown company called Upthere. Curious, we started Googling and came across the job postings as well as this tweet from Maxwell referencing Serlet and Bodamer (which was also retweeted by Bodamer):
front-end engineers: come leave your job and work with me, @perezd, @bserlet, @rogerb, and other smart folks here in palo alto.— Justin Maxwell (@303) May 18, 2012
We reached out to Serlet and Bodamer through their Upthere email addresses to find out more about the startup's mission and their roles in it. Bodamer responded to us with a "no comment."
Based on the job postings we've seen, it's clear the startup is looking to rethink the way people store files in the cloud, though just how this service will compare to options like Dropbox or Apple's own iCloud feature remains unclear. At the moment, the only trace of the startup's efforts is a static webpage with the company's logo.


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PLEASE READ the whole section before accessing the journal...
Here is a brief explanation that describes the process to go through, once you have received your password from Elsevier.
In the month following your subscription as an ESTD member, you recieved an email from Elsevier entitled "Your access codes for the European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation"
This email gives you the email adress and the password you have to use to access the ESTD Journal.
You will be able:
- to consult the last online issues as well as the archives
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Email: xxxxxxxxxx
Password: xxxxxxxxxxx.
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Then follow the instructions in your language.
In case you encounter difficulties to connect, please email Djamila Medouni at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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ABUS Cylinder E60NP 40/50
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Prior to its own press conference at IFA, Samsung has just announced new N Series netbooks – the N130, N140 and N510.
The headline development is an 11-hour battery life for the N140, while Samsung is still saying the Intel Atom-basedmodels will come with Windows XP Home – presumably it can't say anything until Windows 7 availability on its netbooks until the Microsoft OS launches on 22 October.
The N130 is the lightest of the bunch, weighing in at 1.26Kg, while the company retains its gloss finish and availability of multiple colours including black, white, sea blue, and peach pink. The N510 has a 16:9 11.6-inch display powered by Nvidia Ion graphics, while the other models have 10.1-inch screens.
Phil Brown, General Manager of Samsung UK's Notebook Division said the new launch "demonstrates Samsung's commitment to the netbook market as a strategic priority for the business."
The market has certainly forced Samsung to come a long way from May 2008 when it announced it was merely considering launching a rival to the Eee PC.
All three models will be available from early September. All will be available at great prices from Netbook.ie


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Liverpool set up an FA Cup fourth-round clash with Oldham after a 2-1 victory against Mansfield Town on a day when Daniel Sturridge made his first appearance and scored his maiden goal for the club.
Sturridge struck a mere seven minutes into his debut with a composed finish before being replaced by Luis Suarez — who put the tie at the One Call Stadium to bed within moments of his introduction.
With Stewart Downing having already worked home goalkeeper Alan Marriott from the left edge of the box, Sturridge opened his Reds account, coolly sliding the ball into the net after an incisive Jonjo Shelvey pass.
The same pair combined in the 14th minute — Sturridge dwelling too long on this occasion and allowing Marriott to make the save. Downing broke clear midway through the period but his drive was blocked smartly by Chris Clements as the visitors searched for a second.
Shelvey and Sturridge swapped roles in the 28th minute with a well-timed one-two releasing the former with space in front him. But Marriott saved a poke goalwards with Shelvey under increasing pressure from Exodus Geohaghon.
Matt Green lashed an effort at Brad Jones — who stopped to his right — after Suso lost possession, before Sturridge danced around several challenges into the area and attempted to tee up Shelvey. Cleared.
As the period drew to a close, Sturridge had another chance to double the lead — latching onto a Shelvey through-ball once again but seeing his angled drive from the right tipped around the post by Marriott.
The hosts threatened an equalizer immediately after the restart, with Anthony Howell forcing Jones to punch his near-post strike out for a corner. Jamie Carragher then made a crucial block from the same player, and Louis Briscoe tested Jones as the home side sensed a goal.
With 52 minutes played, Carragher kept the Reds' sheet clean with a superb sliding intervention to deny Green, a Briscoe blast was tipped wide and a goalmouth scramble included the visitors clearing off the line twice.
Sturridge was withdrawn for Suarez, who looked to put an end to home hopes with a fortuitous finish after being played in by Downing shortly before the hour mark.
Green slammed home a goal for Mansfield with just over 10 minutes left on the clock, but the Reds will now continue their Wembley quest against Oldham at the end of January.
Liverpoolfc.com journalists' man of the match: Daniel Sturridge.


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This is another in our series of posts on the topic of "managing by cliches."
Last week was a very good one in my department, as a long-hoped for project moved forward in a significant way, after years of opposition from certain quarters. Reflecting on the reasons that we finally made progress, I believe it came down to two things:
- perseverance (i.e., being too stubborn to give up)
- patience (being willing to "wait it out" until conditions were more favorable).
Melding these two qualities together, I think the cliche "timing is everything" is really what was at work here.
One might argue that "timing" is nothing more than luck — i.e., some people are just "born under a lucky star" and always appear to be "in the right place at the right time." "Not me," you might say. "If I didn't have bad luck, I'd have no luck at all" we might all feel in our "Charlie Brown" moments. (Raise your hand if you've ever thought this about yourself). While I wouldn't argue that luck (or "good fortune," or "kizmet," or "serendipity") plays no role, I do think that other more controllable factors are involved, as well.
I believe that awareness of "the moment" plays a key role in this. No one can be fully aware of everything and everyone around them, of course. But through practice and focus, we can probably all get better at this.
Poor Timing
As one example on the "bad timing" side … our national sales director Continue reading


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Kids' food drive
Yesterday was a prime example of how you can be a parent of two with a full time job and still get out in your community to make a difference. The first part of the day we sold concessions at a local football game, but the second part of the day we collected non-perishable foods from area neighborhoods. If you're interested in getting your children involved in a fun, active project, you should try the food drive.
Here's how we do it:
--Collect paper grocery bags. We have done this in different ways. You could ask your friends and family to give you their paper bags, ask for a handful of paper bags each time you go to the grocery store, or ask a store to donate bags. A local Food Lion donated 500 bags to us last year and those have lasted us through this year.
--Create a flyer that tells all about your project, including what you're collecting, why you're collecting it, when you'll collect it, and where you'll donate what you collect. Staple the flier to one side of each paper bag. Let people know that all they need to do to donate is fill their bag and then set it outside for you.
--Leave the bags on your neighbors' doorsteps. Javi and I (along with other families) walked around five neighborhoods, but you could easily scale down this project and just leave bags for your neighbors. On a Tuesday, we left bags on everyone's doorsteps and then we came back on Saturday afternoon to pick them up.
Those who participated in the food drive left their filled bags back on their doorsteps. We didn't knock on doors, we didn't try to convince people to donate -- if there was no bag, we kept moving. On drop-off day we did everything on foot, but on pick-up day, we drove around with a pick-up truck and the kids got to sit in the back.
--Take the bags to your local food pantry. Once you've picked up all the bags people have set back out for you, drive it over to your food pantry or shelter. If your choice of food pantry is a popular donation spot, you may want to coordinate drop off with them so that they can make room for the donated food. You might also choose to divide your bags between different charities if you have a particularly big haul -- which will depend on how many bags you hand out.
We never alert our people when we're coming, but that's because we always donate to the same place -- an addiction recovery mission -- and no one else chooses to donate to them. Therefore, they are always in need.
Slight variation: In years past, we have also gotten one of the local middle schools involved. We brought boxes over to the middle schools and asked the 6th graders to compete against each other. The homeroom that collected the most food in their box won a pizza party. However, this isn't something one family could easily coordinate and pay for.
Our results: This year we distributed 260 empty paper bags on Tuesday and picked 60 of them back up on Saturday. While it would feel disheartening to know that 200 families chose not to participate in the food drive, we try to think more positively. 60 families chose to share their food -- and their hearts -- with those who are less fortunate. Several families told us that they shopped purposely to fill their bags with wholesome, healthy foods.
This is my family's favorite volunteer project, and that's because our hearts swell up (as do our eyes) when we deliver our bags of food to people who are struggling so hard to carve out a better life for themselves. I guarantee you that no matter how bags you hand out or how much food you are able to donate -- you'll create a memory and feeling for your children that they will never forget.
Let me know if you try it!
This is what works for me. What works for you?
6 comments:
Susan Berlien
Wow. Full time job, two kids and your volunteering too. Ok.... Standing ovation! :)
P.S.I'm following you!
Kelly Miller
Hey Susan - thanks for the compliments. I have to say that it would be really hard without a supportive partner, but we both place a high value on exposing our kids to community activism and volunteerism. Also, we try to do things that are kid-friendly so it becomes a family experience rather than something that takes me/him out of the family.
Moore Minutes
I'm impressed!! Way to get out there and serve. You've inspired me. Thank you.
What an awesome thing to do, Kelly!
Hey girl that is really nice. I live in a small town so there is not really anyone to help the people in the town that needs help so this is my first year in college and i was wanting to know how I could do a food drive by myself just for a few familys if you could help that would be great.
Kelly Miller
Anon - I would just do the bags in a smaller scale. Maybe do your dorm or your apartment complex. Then take the food you collect to a local church. Usually the churches have a list of those in need. Good luck!
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It's the pilot that brought William Shatner and Adam West together in the early 1960s for some manly Greek historical action. Click through to watch Alexander The Great, the show that could've destroyed Star Trek and Batman.
Thank Mark Waid's podcast for the heads-up about this failed pilot starring a pre-Trek Shatner and pre-Batman West. Just think, if this show had been picked up, there might never have been a series about humanity boldly going where no man had gone before...!
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